India, June 17 -- A stall in the monsoon, the lifeblood of the world's fourth-largest economy, has hampered sowing in some regions, worrying farmers awaiting a revival, as official rainfall data between June 1 and 16 showed a shortfall of nearly a quarter per cent.

The rainy season, which waters nearly half of the country's net-sown area, has remained subdued for over two weeks, bringing hot weather to many regions, after making the earliest onset in over a decade on May 24.

The June-September monsoon, which sets off on the coasts of Kerala around June 1, typically covers the entire country by July 8, allowing millions of farmers to sow an array of crops, such as rice, pulses, corn, oilseeds, lentils, soya, and sugarcane.

"We have prep...